When Peter met Clark
by Spiderbob
Summary: Movie Peter meets Smallvilles Clark Kent. Rated PG-13 for violence and language.
1. Time Away From Home

Author's Note: I know, I know. You've probably thinking, 'NO! They're multipling! Make him stop!' But as I stated in 'Spawns of the Lizard' this is how I write. I think up ideas and type them up so I don't forget them later. This way I can update these stories as I continue to think (yes, I think) of new ideas for them. This story is a crossover one. I'm going to bring Spider-Man (from the movie) and my favorite superhero T.V. show 'Smallville' together. The story takes place with Peter thinking about how his uncle was murdered. So engrossed in sorrow, he's hardly functioning at all. He sleeps, eats, does, homework, and then goes back to sleep. He hardly talked before, but now his silence is that of despair. He barely talks to Harry and only says the usaul 'Thanks' to the pity he recieves before walking off. So after Sophmore graduation(which in my story is a few weeks after Uncle Ben's death) his Aunt decides that it'd be best to take some time off from all the pain. She sends him to Smallville, a small town that she used to live in when she was a child. She tells him to find Jonathan Kent, a neighbor of hers from when she was a child. And so our story starts with Peter on a bus to Smallville.

Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing. Marvel owns Spider-Man and Spider-Man characters, WB owns Smallville, and D.C. owns Superman and all Superman characters. I only on this computer which is going to be 'collected' by the govt. if I can't pay the bills on time. Let the story begin.

His empty stare pierced through the window, vaguely watching the infinite number of trees and plains roll by. The country. He'd never been out of the city, or out in the country for that matter. But that wasn't important right now. All he could do was keep replaying the events on that tragic night over and over in his head. He remembered watching his ugly and twisted face ran past him as he did nothing to stop. Remembered telling the fight manager off and getting even over the money he cheated him out off. But in the end, it wasn't worth it, not even close. 

He recalled seeing a large group of people huddled over one area on the sidewalk. He remembered breaking through the crowd and seeing his Uncle's body, lying on the ground, his jacket soaked in blood. He remembered tracking down and fighting the murdered, only to learn that, to his horror, it was the man he had let escape. By accident, the man tripped out of the warehouse window and fell to his death. But his death would not bring back his Uncle Ben. It would not heal the pain. His father figure was gone, and both he and his aunt were shattered. So she did what she thought to be best. She sent him away, to have some time with himself. To try and come to terms with what had happened. To find peace.

His gaze was averted to the front of the bus as it made a bumpy and graceless stop. The bus driver opened the doors. 

"All those for Smallville, get out!" He snapped in a grouchy voice. He was obviously was having a bad day. Peter clutched his back pack a little tighter as he exited the bus with a few others. He looked around, finding only a handful of people standing there, half of which boarded the bus. A man soon approached him. He looked to be in his mid forties. His hair was a light shade of black and he wore some worn blue jeans and a t-shirt. 

"Peter Parker?" he asked with a smile and an extended hand. Peter hesitantely took the hand and tried to force a smile. 

"Yeah, that's me."

The man's smile grew and released his grip on Peter's hand. 

"I'm Jonathan Kent. Your aunt called about a week ago and said you were coming over for awhile. Said you needed a break." His smile suddenly faded and he grew very serious. "I'm sorry Peter, about your loss. I just want you to know, that if you need something, anything, I'm here. All you have to do is ask."

Peter was taken back by this. This man, who he didn't even know and had never met, was willing to help Peter in any way he could, just like Harry and Aunt May. Peter had been kicked down so many times by the school bullies and ignored by everyone else that he almost thought it was impossible for someone to care. Well, besides Harry and May. His eyes watered a bit and this time, the smile came naturally. 

"Thanks." He replied. Jonathan smiled and then after a pause he spoke. 

"Want me to get your bag for you?"  
Peter gripped it even tighter. Inside laid his costume that he used to fight Bonesaw. He had worn it many nights to try and ease the pain, and it did, a little. 

"No, I got it."

"Okay." Jonathan lead Peter to a red truck and opened the passanger door for him.

"I'll take you home to meet Martha. Clark would've been here to pick you up, but he still has two more weeks of school," he said as he climbed into the driver's seat. 

"Clark?" 

"My son. He's your age, I think. You two should get along pretty well. He'll introduce you to his friends. You'll like them."

Friends. A term that Peter wasn't at all used to. He only had three friends, one of which had died a few weeks ago. Peter's gaze returned to the scenery as they drove off. 

*****

"RING!" 

The once exsistting silence was now broken with hundreds of voices as students from all over departed from their classes as the the bell rang, signifying the end of another school day. 

"Hey Clark!"

Clark turned his head to see a beautiful young girl approach him. Her blond hair covered part of her face as she ran to meet him.

"Hey Chloe. What's up?"

"Just wanted to know where you were off to in such a hurry."

"Oh, I'm going home to meet a nephew of my dad's old childhood friends. He's staying over for a few weeks. "

"Really? What's his name?"  
"Peter Parker, I think."

"Wow, two Petes. Well, luckily we'll be able to tell them apart by age."  
"Uh, actually Chloe, he's a sophmore too."

"Oh. Well, have him come to school sometime, I'd love to meet him."

"Me too," said a third voice.Clark turned to see an African American kid, short, but athleticaly built approach him. 

"Hey Pete. Yeah, I think I'll bring him over tomorrow."  
"That is, if you can finish Mr. Bowman's homework in time." 

Clark smiled and ran home as Pete and Chloe started to discuss the huge amounts of homework they had recieved. 


	2. Introductions

Author's Note: I'd like to say a few things before I start this thing off. One, I'd like to thank the two people ( least last I checked it was two) who reviewed my story. Please continue to review. Second, I just saw a T.V. commercial for the entire season one of Smallville on DVD and will now head to the nearest Wal-Mart or Best Buy as soon as I can. And finally, I just watched the Smallville season premiere. And let me tell you, I pity any soul who did not get to see it. Tonight's episode reinforced why Smallville is my favorite superhero show on T.V. and possibly my favorite all round. Alright, let's begin. 

Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing, which I am grateful for cause if I did both Spider-Man and Smallville would not be as great as they are today. 

Alert: Story may contain possible spoilers from past episodes in Smallville and scenes from Spider-Man movie.

"Clark! Where are you? You were supposed to be here half an hour ago to meet Peter." Jonathan was pacing back and forth in the kitchen, extending the phone cord to its greatest length. Martha sat at the kitchen table, eagerly waiting for news on their son's whereabouts. She watched her husband nod a few times and then looked up at the ceiling. She could here squeaking noises above her, signifying that Peter was still upstairs in Clark's room. 

Peter surveyed his new surroundings. His shirt lie on the floor next to his open backpack, revealing his muscular form. He slowly walked in circles, studying everything that came to eye. It was a normal room for the most part. It had a bed, a closet, pictures, etc. He lightly skimmed Clark's wardrobe. After about three seconds of that, he turned his attention to a desk. It was mostly bare. It held a few school papers, some pens, pencils, nothing really worth a second glance. However, he did notice that Clark had some math homework on his desk. He examined it, and then reached for a pencil. 

"Forgot your negative sign infront of the seven Kent." He erased the spot and promptly added the correct answer. He dropped the pencil and examined the rest of the paper before turning away. His attention was draw to a small table in the corner. On it were numerous pictures. He studied the faces. Two he knew already, Jonathan and Martha Kent. He assumed the smiling boy between them was Clark. His gaze turned to other photos. Some were of Clark at a young age with his parents. Others were of people he assumed where Clark's friends. There was one of Clark and an African American kid making goofy faces at what appeared to be a party. There was another of a beautiful black haired girl dressed as a waitress, smiling as she handed someone a cup of coffee. And then there was another with Clark dressed in a nice suit, holding a blond haired girl who was wearing a pink dress. They were both smiling and the green and yellow banner around them said "Graduation of 2002." 

He stared at the photo as he moved it closer to his face. He remembered his freshman graduation, and his sophomore's (which was only about a week ago). He hadn't been very popular those two years, and it would have been miraculous if a girl asked him to have her picture taken with him, much less dance. He pushed the thoughts aside and placed the photo back where it belonged. There was suddenly a soft knock on the door.

"Hey Peter?" 

He turned to see Martha Kent standing at the door way. 

"Yeah?"

"Jonathan's going to take you to the Talon. Clark said he'd meet you there. Said he wanted you to meet his friends."

Again the term friends. Clark's life seemed to be going so well. Like he had everything he could possibly want. He sighed.

"I'll be right there. Just let me change really fast."  
Martha smiled then closed the door. In a minute, the red truck was leaving the driveway and Peter's backpack was open and almost empty.

"I'll pick you guys up at ten, alright?"

"Okay. Thank you Mr. Kent."

"You can call me Jonathan Peter."

Peter let out a smile. "Thanks."

Jonathan also smiled as he drove off. Peter turned his attention to a tall and dark haired young man who was all smiles. As they spoke, they started to enter an old looking movie theatre, which looked as though it had been recently renovated.

"Hey Peter. I'm Clark."

Peter took the extended hand.  
"Hey Clark." Peter smiled. For a moment Clark was taken back. Peter was matching the amount of pressure he was applying to the handshake. He gave an awkward smile and headed for the door.

"So what are we doing here? I thought you were going to meet me at your house?"  
Clark smiled and opened the door for Peter. As he walked in he was met by three cheers of "Welcome to Smallville." Speechless, Peter looked around to see the friends from Clark's photos standing before him, smiling and greeting him.

"Peter, I'd like you to meet Pete," the African American that Peter hand seen early extended his hand. "He's pretty...energetic. But a good guy." Pete looked at Peter in surprise.   
"Quite a grip you got there, Peter." Peter quickly loosened it, reminding himself that he had to hold back.

:"Sorry Pete."  
"That's okay."  
"So Pete, which do you prefer, Pete 1 or Pete 2."  
Puzzled for a moment, Pete soon smiled. 

"Or we could simply call you 'Bob' and there wouldn't be any confusion."

Peter's smile widened and looked at Clark.

"I like this guy." 

Clark let out a small chuckle and led Peter to the black haired waitress he had seen early.

"This is Lana. She kinda owns the place."

Lana was also smiling. Peter looked at her in surprise.

"Really? You own your own business. Wow."

"Well, me and Lex do. We have a partnership."

Peter looked at her confused.

"Who's Lex?"

Clark intervened.

"A very wealthy kid that you're going to have the privilege of meeting later."

"Wealthy?" He paused. "He wouldn't happen to have the last name Luthor would he?"

The four looked at him in surprise.

"You know him?" The blond asked. 

"No. But I've heard of him, and his father. Harry sometimes tells me about his dad's buisness partners and the name Luthor sometimes pops up."

"Harry?" 

"A friend of mine who's also very wealthy. But I'll tell you about him later Clark."

Clark nodded and then jumped a bit as if he suddenly realized he'd left the oven on.

"Oh, sorry. Finally, this is Chloe." The blond was also smiling and extended her hand. 

"A pleasure Mr. Parker."

He smiled and took it.   
"Chloe runs the school newspaper. She's quite the talent."

Chloe blushed a bit at Clark's remark.

"Really? Well if you need any photographs give me a call."

"You're a photographer?" Chloe asked in surprise. 

"Kinda. Don't have a job as one, but I'm working on it."

She smiled. "So what brings you to Smallville Peter."  
Peter's smile suddenly faded and his head lowered. There was an awkward silence and Chloe immediately regretted asking the question. Peter's voice was slow, hesitant, and it sounded like he was near tears.

"My...my aunt...Aunt May...she just...just thought I needed some time away...after...after.."

He sniffed and the last part of his sentence was barely a whisper.

"...after Uncle Ben died."

There was another long awkward silence and all eyes were on Peter. His head suddenly popped up. His eyes were like dams that were ready to burst and he forced a smile.

"So..uh..*sniff*..what..uh..have you guys been doin? School still on for you guys?"

"Uh...yeah...yeah. We still have two weeks of school." Chloe replied. Her face was full of concern. "Maybe, you could, um, come visit it, as like a shadow or somethin."

Peter sniffed again and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"Yeah. That'd...that'd be great."

Another long silence. One that was soon broken by Lana.

"Well hey, why don't I get you guys something to drink?" 

"I'll help." Said Clark, who eagerly rushed in the back with Lana. As the progressed to the back they looked at each other worriedly. 

"Clark, what's wrong with him?"

"I don't know. I think one of his relatives or something died. My parents were kinda sketchy on the details. Said it'd be best if Peter told me when he was ready."

Lana just nodded and brought up some cups from the back to the counter.

"So what does everyone want?"

"Coffee for me please." Replied Pete.

"Me too." Added Chloe.

"What about you Peter?"

Peter didn't answer.

"Peter?"  
He stood still. Something was wrong. His spidersense was giving a mild buzz.

"I...uh..I have to use the restroom."

The others watched him leave but only Chloe noticed piece of a red shirt hanging out of the back of the green shirt he was wearing.

"So Pete, who are you taking to the graduation dan.."

Chloe's statemnt was cut off by the ringing of the door bell as the front doors opened. Three athletic looking men entered the room. One was instantly recognized by both Lana and Clark. 

"Lana, baby." He said. "You and I got off on the wrong start. I was thinkin we try again, only this time you don't kick me." 

Lana smiled nervously as she remembered drop kicking the creep last time he made advances. But Clark was also worried. He couldn't use his powers infront of everyone, but he couldn't let this jerk hurt anyone either. His body tensed as the man got closer. It looked like he didn't have any choice. 

"Hey Moe!"

Everyone suddenly froze and looked around for the intruding voice. 

"Up here smart guy."

Everyone looked up to see a figure dressed in red and blue clinging to the ceiling. He was wearing a red ski mask and red and white tennis shoes and gloves. His pants were blue and his red shirt looked as though it had a black spider on it. 

"Why don't you and your three stooges get out of here."  
The man stood there for a moment, dumbfounded. He shook his head growled at him.

"Why don't come down here so I can shut that mouth of yours?!"

"Wow," replied the figure on the wall. "That was quick. It only took you a whole thirty seconds to reply. You must be whizzen right through speech class, talkin so fast and all."  
The guy was in shock. He didn't know what to say. He was completely dumbfounded, as were his two buddies. The red and blue figure suddenly leapt off the ceiling and landed right infront of him.

"Let's see if your fists move as fast as your mouth freak!" yelled the man as he lunged a fist at the colorful character. For a moment, it looked like he was going to hit the guy, and then at the last second he moved out of the way. He punched again, with the same results. And again and again and each time he punched harder and wilder.

"Come on guys! Get him!" 

The other two never had a chance to reply. They were suddenly bound in silver threads and falling to the ground. 

"Say goodnight Gracie."

The last thug was out cold before he hit the floor. The red and blue hero leapt out the front doors with Chloe calling after him. 

'"Wait! Who are you!?" 

She got no reply. And in a few seconds they heard a toilet flush and a young Peter Parker walking out of the men's room.

"So," he said. "What did I miss?"  
The others just looked at him. 


	3. Getting to Know One Another

Author's Note: Once again I'd like to thank those who reviewed my story. I do have a dilemma though. Not really a dilemma, more like a question. What do you guys want to see? I want to know what you guys would like to see happen. However, do keep in mind that I'm NOT going to be using any of Spider-Man's enemies(such as the Green Goblin, or Doc Ock). I am however planning something with Lionel Luthor, though I'm not sure if I'm really going to do it. Anyway, please share with me your thoughts. I appreciate the good reviews, but I'd also like to know more on what you want. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Keep reviewing.

Disclaimer: Once again I own nothing. Nothing at all. So you can untie me now and let me out of the trunk of your guys truck now. Guys? GUYS?!?

Jonathan gazed at it. He read the column over and over. Clark stood by the kitchen counter, knowing full well of what was coming. He had been through this discussion with his dad before, several times infact. Yet Jonathan always felt the need to repeat himself when things like this happened. 

"And you're saying he just showed up? No warning? No sign?"

"Yes."  
"Just showed up and beat the guys up?"

"Well, tied two with was sticky, silver substance, but yeah."  
Jonathan's eyes read the title of the paper aloud, as if him speaking it aloud would help it sink in faster.

"And Peter was there?"

"Yes."  
"And Chloe?"

"Yes."  
"And she saw all this."  
"What do you mea- of course she saw. It's in the paper isn't it?"  
Jonathan gave Clark a warning look. Clark lowered his head and stared at a random spot on the floor.

"Sorry."

"It's okay. But I want you to be careful around this," Jonathan paused and looked at the paper. "This 'Spider-Man'." 

Clark's gaze now met his father's. 

"But dad, he helped us. He protected Lana, Chloe, and Pete without me having to reveal my gifts. He's a good guy."  
"And just how do you now that? Son, he showed up for the first time last night, out of thin air. We now nothing about him. And because of that, I want you to be careful. Don't use your gifts around him. We don't need some man in a bad halloween outfit knowing your secrets."  
"But dad, he helped us."

"I know Clark. But what were his motives? Hm? Did he do it to protect you guys? Or did he do it for something else."

"I don't know."  
"That's my point. You don't know. Maybe he likes to randomly attack people and those thugs just happened to be his target."

Clark gave him a doubting look.

"Look, son. All I want you to do is be careful. If you find out more then let me know. Just, keep an eye out. I don't want you getting hurt by some anonymous person with powers. I know you've dealt with super powered people before, but none have really kept their face hidden behind red ski masks. Or could stick to walls. Just...be careful okay?"  
Clark gave a small smile. 

"Okay dad."

Jonathan was about to say more when he heard the door open and saw a young Peter Parker step through it. He was wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt which was now covered in sweat and dirt. His physique could be seen through the shirt. 

"All done Mr. Kent."

"Thanks Peter. I really appreciate it. And remember, it's Jonathan."  
Peter made his way behind Jonathan to see what he was reading. In his hands, Jonathan held a newspaper. It was titled The Torch. There were lots of articles in it, but the one Jonathan was on had an intriguing heading that took Peter by surprise. It read 'A Spider-Man Walks Among Us.' Peter had barely skimmed the piece before Clark voiced his curiosity.

"All done with what?"

"Oh, Peter volunteered to do your farm jobs while you were at school."

Clark looked at Peter in surprise.

"Well, you were gone, so I had to do something to keep busy. So I thought I might as well do something productive."

Clark gave a small nod. 

"So you did all my chores for today?"

Peter smiled and nodded.

"So that would mean you're too tired to play basketball, right?"

Peter's face brightened.

"Really? No, I'm good. I could play a few games."

Clark's smile widened. 

"Then let's go."

Both young men slowly made their way to a red and old barn. 

"Your pretty good Peter. Wasn't quite expecting you to be that good."

"But you still won all three games. So my skill was irrelevant as far as I can see."  
"Hey, there's always tomorrow. And maybe then you wouldn't have done a days worth of chores before the game."  
"Maybe." Peter followed Clark inside the barn and spoke as they went up a flight of stairs.

"So is this your little hideout?"

"Kinda, ya. I like to come up here and clear my head. I also have a great view of the sky when it gets dark. You'd be amazed on how many stars there are." 

Both were silent as Clark looked up into the afternoon sky. It was growing dark, but wasn't quite to evening yet. 

"Hey, I spoke with the principal, and he says it's okay for you to shadow me tomorrow at school.

"Really? Cool." Peter paused. "I won't have to do homework will I?"

Clark smiled.

"Not unless you want to. Speaking of which, I noticed someone had made some changes on my math homework."

Peter shrugged.

"I just like math. Math and science."

When Clark didn't answer Peter felt the need to explain more.

"My dad was a scientist. I guess I inherited his brains, along with all his lab equipment. He's got some really interesting equations. Like this one on alternating molecular composition. It's really cool because-"

"So you're a brainy type of guy huh?"

Peter's face reddened slightly. 

"Yeah."

"So where's your father now?"

Peter went silent and his head dropped down.

"He and my mother died in a plane crash."

Clark stared at him concerned. _Damn,_ he thought._This kid has had it rough. Seems like every family member mention in conversation is dead. Got cheer him up somehow. Hopefully a trip to school will be just the thing._

Both of the popped their heads up as they heard Martha calling them in to eat dinner. Peter looked at Clark and smiled.

"Race ya there."  
Clark returned the smile.

"You're on." 


	4. Getting to Know Chloe

Author's Note: I want to start off on a good note, and tell you all how pleased I am that you guys actually read my little notes and just don't consider them yibberish. To answer the two requests, yes Clark and Peter will eventually confront each other with their powers, and their may be a 'Kryptonite Freak of the Weak'. Peter will meet Lex and again there will be NO major Spider-Man or Superman villains. If you want to know why, ask in a review and I'll explain in the next chapter's author's note. Now for the sad news. I, spiderbob, will not be able to watch Smallville on Oct. 9 because of work.(yes I work.) I will miss all of part two of Phoenix. And worse yet, I work on Sunday too, so I can't see the rerun they show on Sundays. Tis very depressing. But don't weep yet fellow writers and readers. For I have a solution. Using a very complex device known by you earthlings as the VCR, I shall attempt to record the episode for later watching. Tis risky, but I must try. And now we move on to chapter whatever. I've lost count. Someone smack me.

Disclaimer: Once again, as I've said numerous times before, I OWN NOTHING!! ..... too bad I told the guys in black suits this AFTER they tossed me off the bridge. *sigh* oh well. The river water isn't that cold. And I won't hit the rapids for another 30 feet or the waterfall for another 50 feet. 

"RING!!!" The piercing noise through the school signified the end of fourth period, leading into lunch. The day had been interesting to say the least. Peter had gotten more attention from students( especially the girls) in this one day then he'd ever received in his entire life. It felt good. Real good. And to Clark's relief, it made him all smiles for the whole day. Well, so far anyway. There was still have of school left to go. But right now it was lunch, and that meant using his superspeed to get to the front of the line before all the fries were taken. 

As he waited, Clark smiled as he remembered arriving to school, and the events that had taken place during it. Jonathan had to take Clark to school to conceal his secret, a feeling that was quite new to Clark. Peter and Jonathan talked the whole way there while he kept thinking of how slow the truck was compared to him. But it was necessary. 

His smile grew as he remembered Peter voluntarily taking a math test they had today and surprising the class, and not to mention the teacher, by getting it done a good fifteen minutes or so before everyone else. And, Peter also corrected the science teacher on a mistake he'd made infront of the class. Plus, they got into a huge discussion over things that were way above everyone else's heads. Among the students he was thought well of, for the most part. But the teachers seemed to have mixed feelings. Some, like the science teacher, disliked Peter for correcting them in class and then debating with them, while others admired Peter for his intelligence. But Peter was having a blast and that's all that really mattered to Clark right now. It was nice to see the kid have a good time without having to be reminded of the tragedies in his life. And with that closing thought, Clark bought the last cup of fries.

Peter scoured the halls, hoping to find what he was looking for. It was lunch right now and he wasn't feeling very hungry, so he told Clark he was going to go do some exploring. Clark didn't mind as long as he arrived on time to his next class, history. Peter's sneakers made soft squeaking noises as he continued his search. Each door he passed he'd pause slightly and glanced at its room label. When he learned that it wasn't the room he was looking for, he walked off to the next one. He glanced at his watch. He still had twently minutes or so. Plenty of time. After a minute or two more, he finally found what he was looking for. He knocked on a door labeled 'The Torch'. There was no answer, but it was unlocked. He knocked again to make sure, and when silence greeted him again, he walked in. 

He looked around the room. There were several small tables in it, each one had piles of papers and notes and such on it. There was a desk in the center with a computer on it. Pictures on the walls said 'Go Crows!' while on other parts of walls were hung news articles. He glanced at the computer screen, which was left on. On it was an article on a student who was in the hospital with cancer. The article pretty much gave the condition of the student, quotes from her and her family and then a closing paragraph wishing the student to get well. Peter looked up and studied the room some more when his attention was draw to the far wall. It was literally buried in photographs, news articles, and whatnot. On article that got his attention was about meteors that had crashed in Smallville a few years ago. There was another on a kid with twelve fingers and other strange happenings. One that specifically caught his attention was an article titled 'War Hero'. It was about a kid named Whitney who'd gone off to join the army and died in action. Judging from the article, Whitney was very popular at school and his death was taken rather hard.

"I call it 'The Wall of Weird'." said a voice behind him. Peter spun around as if he were a six year old who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. His nerves calmed when he saw Chloe standing behind him. She was wearing blue jeans, black shoes, a green shirt that revealed a bit of her stomach and a brown jacket that looked a little worn. He smiled at him and walked up right next to him, staring at the wall. 

"All these photos and articles are of strange occurrences that have happened in Smallville."

Peter looked at her as she pointed to an article.

"Like this one." She pointed to an article titled 'A Spider-Man Walks Among Us.'

"That happened two nights ago, remember?"

Peter looked at the wall and recalled that night's events.

"Actually Chloe, I was in the restroom when it happened. Can't believe I missed it. Must've been cool to see."

Chloe looked at him for a moment, as if she were studying him and analyzing what he had said.

"Yeah, that's right. Now I remember. That's too bad Peter, but maybe next time."

Peter shrugged but was a little nervous at her last sentence. She sounded, unconvinced. Suspicious even. He had to change the subject. 

"So this is where it's done huh? Where Chloe works her magic?"

She smiled at the remark and headed over to her computer.

"Yes, but I wouldn't go around saying that in a good way. Some people don't like my articles."

Peter gazed at her surprisingly.

"They don't? Why?"

This time she shrugged. 

"I guess they'd rather read about what's tomorrow's lunch then of the 'weird stories' I write."

She looked up at him and smiled.

"I thought you were supposed to be shadowing Clark?"

"Well, it's lunch, and I didn't feel that hungry so I thought I'd come visit you." She smiled. "Speaking of which, why aren't you in class?"

"I have free period this hour so I get to work on the paper. Lunch is next for me."

He nodded, trying to think of something to say.

"So what have you and Clark been up to?"

She looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, you two are going out aren't you?"

She was silent for a moment and Peter suddenly wished he'd talked about football instead. He'd obviously brought to surface old pains.

"No, we're just friends. Why'd you think that?"

"Cause Clark had a picture of you and him at last year's graduation. You know? Dancing, laughing. That kinda thing."

She was silent again.

"Sorry Chloe. I didn't mean to." He stuttered. 

"It's alright Peter. We'll call it even."

Peter was confused at first but then remembered the remark she made at the Talon that reminded him of why he was he to begin with. 

"Right, even." There was an awkward silence.

"So...have you seen the Matrix?"

Chloe chuckled.

"Yeah. Both of them."

Chloe looked up at Peter. 

"Hey Peter. Wanna do me a favor?"

"Uh, sure. What?"

"You know that Spider guy we- I mean, I saw at the Talon?"

"Yeah, Clark talked about him on the ride home."

"Do you think it'd be possible for you to get pictures of him or anything else weird that happens?"

Peter was taken back by this.

"What?"

"Take pictures of him. I have a feeling we'll be seeing him again and I want a photo for the paper when he does. Not the crappy artist renderings that I was given."

"Sure. If I see him."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Her gaze met his and they stared at each other for a while until they were interrupted by the blaring of the bell.

"Crap! I gotten find Clark!"

Peter darted to the door but paused before he left and turned to face Chloe.

"I'll see you later alright?"

She smiled.

"Yeah, later."  
He returned the smile and then ran down the hallway to find Clark. 


	5. Lucky Save

Author's Note: Sorry it has taken me so long to write the next chapter. I've gotten five hours of sleep for four consecutive nights (all thanks to homework) so needless to say, I haven't found the time nor energy to continue. Thanks for the reviews. Yes, my VCR worked and I got to watch part two of Phoinex as well as the Smallville episode with the 'Freak' killer. Also, the Chiefs beat the Packers 40 to 34 in overtime, making them 6 and 0. Best start ever in Chiefs' history. And without further delay, he is the next chapter.

"You know what's funny? I mean, not the kind of 'Haha' funny, but more of the ironic funny. My Uncle just died a few weeks ago right? So naturally I've been taking it pretty hard. I've found that one way I can relax. is to websling across the New York skyline. Sure I get some strange looks but it's pretty soothing. It keeps me from going crazy." The young man paused a moment. He looked down at the people entering the Talon, unaware of the red and blue figure that loomed above them. 

"Anyway, Aunt May thinks I need some time away from home to sort this all out, to come to terms with my uncle's death. So she sends me to her old friends the Kents in Smallville. They're really nice and have been a big help, but that's not what's funny. I've been looking to get some time to myself, you know? To think. So I decided I'd kill two birds with one stone. I'd go webslinging and get those shots Chloe wanted."

He paused and looked over at his camera which was webbed to the wall of a store across from the Talon. He had set it on an automatic timer so it took shots of the wall crawler without anyone knowing he was taking pictures of himself.

"So I'm doing pretty good at getting the shots for Chloe, but you see, this is the funny thing. I finally get some time alone, finally have time to go webslinging, and when I get on the roof of the Talon, I noticed something rather ironic. There isn't anywhere to websling. Nowhere. There are two, count them, two buildings that are five stories high and that's it. If I tried to websling my butt would be skidding across the street. So not only can I not websling, but now I'm spending my free time talking to a bird."

The red ski mask turned to the right and stared and a grayish black bird sitting on the edge of the roof and staring back at him. 

"Yeah, life is great. Just great."

The vigilante's gaze now turned to the street as he watched people enter and exit the Talon. It looked like a busy night judging from the number of people going in. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, seconds, minutes, hours. But his trance was suddenly broken when he noticed a small girl running out of the coffee shop laughing with her mom frantically chasing after her. 

"Susan! Watch where you're going! Get back here!" Cried the mother. 

This only caused Susan to giggle more and run even farther away, right infront of an oncoming car.

"Susan!" 

Peter's reactions were that of lightning speed. It all seemed to go in slow motion. The mother futilely ran towards her daughter, dropping her drink and purse. Susan turned towards the direction of the blaring horn and blazing lights. The car's tires came to an abrupt stop as they skidded across the pavement. Susan dropped her lollipop and teddy she was holding and stood completely petrified like a deer in front of headlights. Tears erupted from the mother's eyes as the inevitable hit her like a ton of bricks yet it only caused her to run faster. The car continued to slide as the driver desperately tried to stop. Susan remained motionless and the mother watched in complete surprise and amazement as a streak of red and blue rushed down and picked up her daughter a fraction of a second before the car reached the spot where Susan was standing. 

Peter held the girl tightly in his arms as he remained clinging to the wall. The child was in shock. Waiting a few seconds longer, Peter then let go of his grip on the wall and brought Susan to her mom, who was quite speechless at what just happened. The girl ran to her mother and clung to her legs. The mom was in tears and couldn't keep her gaze off of Peter.

"T-thank you. I- how-what-thank you."

Peter let an uneasy smile form under his mask. He had gathered quite a crowd, a crowd which was now closing in around him. They were all puzzled as to who he was and how he could what he just did. He tried to back away but he they surrounded him on all sides. His gaze returned to the girl and her mom.

"Susan! Don't you ever do that again! I could've lost you. I don't know what I would've done with out you. You're all I have left." 

The two continued to cry and Peter's eyes began to water also. For his mind was now swamped with the memories of his Uncle Ben and the knowledge of not only his death, but the death of his parents. He needed to get away, to break free of this crowd. He need somewhere to think. To sort things out. He leapt straight up and the back flipped onto the wall where his camera was. He retrieved it and then leapt off into the night.

Short, I know, but I'm sleep deprived. So I think I'll go to sleep right no.....zzzzzzzzzzzz


	6. Remorse

Author's Note: Once again, thank you all for your reviews. The Chiefs won once again, beating the Raiders 17 to 10 making their record 7 and 0. GO CHIEFS!!! Smallville is great, as usual. And what else? Oh yes.

*Warning. Do not read unless you want to be spoiled. Major spoiler ahead.*

*Warning.*

*Warning*

*Warning*

*Okay, I warned you. Last chance. Don't read unless you want to be spoiled.*

*SPOILER*

The sky is blue.

No seriously, the Luthor's will make their appearance in the next chapter or so as will the villain. Or is that villains?! Hm. Anyway, he's the next chapter. Enjoy.

She watched him, worriedly. For how long she wasn't sure. She was still trying to take in the scene laid before her. He was crouched on the ledge in a position that any other person would fall from with the slightest touch. But it looked as though nothing could part him from the narrow strip of wood he was on. His gaze seemed to be distant, adrift. She had entered the barn looking for Clark, seeing how he usually hung up there to be to himself and look at the stars with his telescope. But instead, she had found Peter, crouched on the three inch ledge. It was a most curious sight to her. Part of her wanted to call out his name, break the silence, talk to him. The other part stood mystified by the figure, and only wanted to continue watching. 

She tried to silently climb the wooden stair case. It creak as she did but Peter seemed to have not noticed, or, simply not cared. Finally, her curiosity got the better of her and the silence was broken with the sound of her voice. 

"Peter? Are you alright?"

He remained where he was, silent, unmoving. She approached him slowly and noticed for the first time that tears were running down his cheeks. Yet his face was stern and strong. 

"I was looking for Clark," she continued. "I wanted him to help me investigate the sighting of "The Spider-Man" down by the Tal-."

"Clark's already there." He interrupted her so suddenly and unexpectedly that she remained silent for several seconds.

"Well, I was also wandering if you wanted to go down there and, you know, get some pictures of -."

She was cut off as his left arm pointed to a table, yet he still remained as he was. His remoteness scared her a bit, but mostly, it worried her. There was something about him. Something that... She walked over to the table and let out a gasp of shock. Before her lay a dozen photos, all on Spider-Man. There were ones with him on the roof, but most of them were of him saving the girl. They were unbelievably good.

"How-"

"Went down to get a coffee. Saw him on the roof and snapped some photos." His voice was rough and dull, as if all of the emotions in him had been drained away. "Just lucky I guess."

She remained staring at the photos. 

"You can have them."

She paused, trying to soak in the fact that she had just been handed a gold mine. She then came to her senses and put the photos in her purse. Her attention then came to Peter. She walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. 

"Peter, what's wrong?" 

He was silent for a moment, and then his mouth released a voice that was now saturated in sadness and despair. 

"The girl's mom reminded me of my mom. I hardly knew her. I can sometimes remember her face if I try hard enough. Sure I've seen my parents in photo albums, but it's not the same as actually seeing them in the flesh with your own eyes. I don't even remember my dad. Never had the chance."

He paused and inhaled deeply.

"Never got the chance to go to baseball games with them. Never got the chance to go to the park, or have them visit me at school. Never got the chance to have them teach me so many things, like riding a bike. Never got the chance of seeing them smile when I got top honors in my freshman year. Never got the chance."  
The tears were now flowing faster, but it was obvious to her that he was trying his best to hold them back. 

"I don't like planes. Sure I can travel in one, but if there's another way to travel I take it. That's why I took the bus here. It was longer, but more comfortable. I just don't like planes. Every time I get on one, I'm constantly reminded of what happened. Constantly reminded of the cruel hand fate dealt me. Constantly reminded of how my parents died."  
Chloe let out a gasp. Suddenly it all made sense. She understood now on why he was so depressed. So distant. She moved closer to comfort him, to help him. He was breaking down now.

"And then there's Uncle Ben. My father figure. He was always there for me. He was the father I never had. We did everything together. We never got angry with each other and always played jokes on each other."  
Peter let out an uneasy smile.

"Like when I put a whoopy cushion in his favorite chair but Aunt May sat in it instead."  
He chuckled at the memory, but the the sorrow returned.

"Until that one day, when I yelled at him. When I killed him."

Chloe looked at Peter in shock and horror, but mostly confused.

"I yelled at him, insulted him, shoved all the love he'd offered me down his throat. Just so I could have my little fun. And then I killed him. I can still see his face sometimes. The burglar. I still remember every night the day I watched him go. Remember how I did nothing to stop him. All I had to do was trip him, or bump him into the wall and the cops would've got him. But I did nothing. And he escaped and shot Uncle Ben. I could've stopped him, coulda saved Uncle Ben, I could've done something. But, but I..."

He broke down completely. He let loose all the pain and grief he had stored up and pushed deep down. He let in all flow out. And she held him. She didn't say a word, just held him. And she remained by him, until he had exhausted himself, and fell asleep on the floor by the telescope. She later told Clark about the event when he got home, and he put Peter in his bed. Jonathan and Martha were also soon informed and they stayed up late, thinking on the new development. As for Chloe, she laid in her bed, wide awake, thinking about a young 17 year old teenager. Eventually, she fell asleep, thinking of Peter as she did. 


	7. A Desperate Man

Author's Note: You guys disgust me! All you ever have to say is "I want more." "Give me more!" It's all about you! You never asked how I feel, you just want to be pleased!! Okay, I see how it is. Let's not give a damn about the writer. Let's just hound him to keep writing!! You monsters!!! You fiends!!! You...you...HAHAHAHA!!!! I'm sorry. I couldn't keep a straight face when I saw your guys' faces. It was priceless. *sigh* No, seriously. I want to thank you all for your kind reviews, though I must admit that I haven't received any flames yet, much less a negative review. I keep waiting for it to come. It's kinda like when you know you did something wrong and you're just waiting till you're caught. But once again, I thank thee for thy kind words and will try and keep up the apparent good job I'm doing. Thanks.

Smallville Note: I've liked season three so far, but I must say, the preview for the episode of Smallville 1961 disappoints me. It just looks like a bad romance novel. I'm not watching Smallville to see Clark and Lana make out on stacks off hay you know (and they very well may have them go farther than making out). It looks very bad and I don't even know if I'm going to watch it. And the plus side, I like how Lionel is blackmailing Chloe and I like how we get to see more of Lex and his personal demons. Maybe the week after this Tuesday will be better. 

Chiefs Note: I know I'm late in saying this but I haven't been able to find time to get on the computer lately. Anyway, the Chiefs stomped, crushed, and obliterated the Bills, making them 8-0 before their bye. GO CHIEFS!!!

Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing. Even the computer I'm using is on loan. Well not really but you get the idea. And here is chapter whatever. Someone slap me real hard. 

Peter sat in the truck, his head resting on his arm which was propped up against the door. His gaze seemed to wander aimlessly, though he didn't really care. He was still thinking about last night. He'd totally broken down, something he had been able to avoid doing all this time. But for some reason, Smallville seemed to have a strange effect on him. It seemed to surface emotions and memories he had tried so hard to bury deep down, tried to ignore. And the strangest thing was, he liked it. It felt soothing to get his feelings out in the open. For the first time in a long time, he felt at peace, even if it was a small peace. He felt, relaxed. It was a feeling that had been a stranger to him for quite some time. 

The diver seat's door opened and Clark entered the red Toyota. He was wearing blue jeans, a white shirt, and a jacket. He looked refreshed and alive as opposed to Peter, who looked like he had gotten two hours of sleep. His hair was a mess and his eyes were drooping. Clark started the truck and drove off.

"So where are we going that's so important that caused you to wake me at eight in the morning?"

Clark smiled at Peter and then turned his attention to the road. 

"Well, I just thought it was time for you to meet a good friend of mine."

"You woke me up at eight in the morning to do a house call?"

Again, Clark smiled. There was a moment of silence between them before Peter spoke again. 

"So, who's the great friend that you're dying for me to meet, but decided it'd be best to meet him early in the morning instead of all the other afternoons we've had free?"

"We're going to meet Lex Luthor."

"Ah, the boy billionaire who's dad Mr. Kent speaks so highly of."  
Clark looked at Peter with concern.

"Lionel isn't liked by anyone in Smallville, but Lex isn't like him. He's a great guy if people would give him a chance."

Peter just nodded and went back to staring aimlessly at the passing scenery. Silence engulfed the truck for several seconds, a silence that was broken by a very concerned Clark Kent.

"Hey Peter. About last night. You know, if something's bugging you or you want to talk to someone, I'm here. You can talk to me, if you want."

Peter suddenly realized what Clark was speaking of and also realized that he might of hurt Clark by confining in Chloe, an action that still confused him.

"Oh, sorry Clark. I didn't mean to ignore you or anything. I just, I don't know. I guess I just needed to get some things off my chest, you know, talk to someone. And Chloe just happened to be there."

Clark still looked worried.

"You do know that you can talk to me about, well you know? I mean, I thought that's what friends were for."

The last part of Clark's sentence took Peter completely by surprise. Friends? He had never had any friends except for Harry. Clark Kent, his friend. He couldn't help but smile. 

"Thanks Clark."

The muscular teen returned the smile.

"Anytime."

The was a relaxing calm between them as they continued there path towards Lex's mansion.

*****

He stood outside the room, peering through the glass window, staring at her. His eyes were about ready to burst wih tears. The doctor was knelt down beside her, checking her situation. He'd hardly left her side since they discovered it, only leaving to get something to eat or use the restroom. He began to tap impatiently and folded his arms. He wanted to know. He needed to know. He thought back to the day he lost his wife during her birth, a tragedy she stilled blamed herself for. He couldn't bear to loose her too. She was all he had left.

"Mark? Are you alright?"

He turned towards the direction of the voice to see the infamous Lionel Luthor approaching him. He sped his way up to the window and looked in.

"How's she doing?"

"I don't know. The doctor hasn't said. He's still checking."

His voice was hesitant and implied that he was going to break down at any moment.

"Mark, don't worry, she'll-"

The door to the room slowly opened as the doctor exited. His face already told Mark the news he was still denying to be true. It can't be. It couldn't be.   
"Doctor. My daughter. Is she..?" 

He stopped his sentence short. He needed to hear that she'd be alright. Needed to know that he wouldn't loose her like her mother. Needed to beat the odds. Needed to.

"I'm afraid her situation has gotten a lot worse. We've stabilized her condition, but it's still killing her. We've bought her about three more days, but I'm afraid, it's only a matter of time before the cancer.."

"No." His voice was that of man who had just lost all hope. All will to live. He had nothing now. He was going to have to watch his daughter die, and watch her die slowly. No. He didn't believe that. He couldn't believe that.

"I'm sorry. There's nothing more we can do." 

The doctor was silent for a moment and then walked off to leave the father with his grief. Mark looked at his daughter who was sleeping so peacefully. She appeared to him like an angel. A beautiful, delicate angel that was about to be thrown down into the dark edges of hell. His little girl was going to die in less than a week. 

"Mark, I'm sorry. I know how hard this is."

He remained silent, as if the undenying truth was slowly reaching him, embracing him. 

"Lionel, there was a reason I asked you down here. I know you're a busy man, and I know you have more important things to do, but..."

"Mark, you're my top bio-enginierist. I'll do what I can."

Mark let a small smile of gratitude creep up, one that was quickly replaced by one of sorrow.

"My little Rachel isn't going to make it Lionel. They say she's going to die. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless you let me save her."

Mark stared at Lionel, waitng, like a beggar waiting to see if a stranger was going to give him money. Lionel seemed puzzled for a minute, and then the realization of what he meant hit him. 

"I'm sorry Mark. But you know I can't do that. The project isn't exactly government approved. Besides if it worked the traces of it in her blood could be traced back to me and then we'd be in even a bigger mess. I'm sorry, but the cons out weigh the pros. Besides, it's not even completed."

Mark stood in shock at what he just heard. 

"Out weighs the pros? We're talking about my daughters life!!!"

"I understand that Mark. But it'd be too big of a financial and security risk."

"My daughter is dying!!! It could save her!!!" 

Mark's cheeks were now soaked in tears as all his despair, grief, and frustration poured out.

"My condolences Mark. I'll let you take two weeks off but I expect you back in work by then."

Lionel stared at him in the eyes and then walked off. 

_"That cold blooded bastard!"_ He thought to himself. A thought that practically screamed to come out. He watched Lionel exit the building without even looking back. And although his response had cut into the very heart of Mark's soul, it was not completely unexpected. The blond male entered his daughter's room. He walked over to her side and held her hand. 

"I'll save you honey. I'm not going to loose you too." 

He looked around to make sure no one was looking and then pulled out of his jacket's inner pocket a small tube and a needle. It the unlabeled tube was a greenish looking substance that slowly bubbled. He unscrewed the top and inserted the tip of the needle into the liquid. He drew the compound into the needle, then resealed it and placed it back into his jacket. He walked over to the package of blood that the doctors had connected to her arm. He slowly and carefully injected the substance into the blood that was being fed into his daughter. He emptied it all and the backed away from the bed slowly. He placed the syringe into his jacket and sat by his daughter's bedside. It had to work. She was all he had left. He sat and waited. 


	8. Getting to Meet Lex

Author's Note: Damn it people! What did I say about being demanding?!?! You think I wasn't serious?!? You think I won't come over there and kick all of your guys'.... hold on the Simpsons are back.

.....

.......

.......

HA. Funny show. Okay, where was I? Oh yes. I'm glad you all enjoyed chapter seven. Well, those of you who have reviewed liked it. You know what I should do? I should kill off Chloe. I mean, half the reviews I get are stating that people want Peter and Chloe to be together. I should just kill her off. That'd show you. Hehe. Okay, here's chapter something. I'm still waiting for someone to hit me in the head. Here, I'll even give you a baseball bat. Just hit me. 

Note to reviewer(s): Skittles the Sugar Fairy, what made the chapter weird??

The limo sped down the empty road. throwing the leaves on the ground back up into the air. The passenger of the limo was smiling.

_"That went better than I'd hoped."_ he thought to himself. _"Did Mark really think I hadn't noticed the missing vile? Such a fool. Letting his emotions get the better of him. Now, if anything goes wrong the majority of the blame, fault, and lawsuits will go against him, but for the sake of the experiment I hope it goes without a hitch. Project X has just gotten its first human test subject."_

He continued to smile as the black limo sped towards Luthor Corp. 

***

The red truck pulled up to the mansion. Peter exited the vehicle and stood staring at the building in awe. It was as big as Norman's place, if not bigger. Peter let out a whistle which brought a smile on Clark's face.

"Come on, let's go inside."

"You mean he lets you just come in whenever you want?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

Again, Peter whistled and the walked towards the main doors. Once inside, Clark allowed Peter to delay their meeting Lex by looking around.

"Wow. I've never seen so much crap in one house. Even Harry's dad doesn't have this much stuff laying around. Of course he probably spends his money on his genetics work.."

Peter continued to talk to himself as he observed and explored every inch of the house he possibly could. Clark just grinned with amusement. He was glad to see Peter looking alive again instead of his usual depressed and quiet self. 

"Is your friend enjoying the tour, Clark?"

Peter's head jolted up from looking at an East Indian vase towards the direction of the voice. Before him stood a young man dressed in a purple sweater with black pants and shoes. His bald head reflected the lights from the ceiling. His face gave off a small smile. Peter instantly knew who he was. 

"Hi Lex." stated Clark. "Thought I'd bring Pete down here to meet you. If that's okay with you of course."

"Sure it's no problem." Lex turned his attention from Peter to Clark. "So you're Clark's newest friend uh? Where're you from Peter?"

"I'm from New York."

Lex raised an eyebrow at the remark.

"A little ways from home aren't you? What brings you all the way to Smallville?"

Peter's gaze dropped to the floor and Clark's smiling face faded to one of concern. Lex's smile diminished a bit, as he began to wonder past horror he had brought up in the teenager's mind. 

"Peter's just visiting for his summer vacation. His aunt knows my dad and, yeah."

Lex continued to stare at Peter, his eyes scanning the boy's facial expression. Obviously, that wasn't the whole truth. But he didn't feel like pressing the matter any further.

"So, this your first time in a mansion, Peter."

Peter's mood seemed to lighten partially.

"No, I've been in Harry's place a few times. Though yours seems to be a bit bigger."

"Harry? Harry who?"

"Oh, um, Harry Osborn."

Lex stood there, trying to place a face with the name.

"Osborn. Osborn. Would his dad happen to be Norman Osborn?"

"You know him?"

"I know of him. I have not met him though. Interesting. You know Norman's son. And are friends with him no doubt."

Peter just nodded.

"Why don't we go to my room. I have something I want to show you, Peter."

Peter and Clark both looked at Lex curiously. But Lex just smiled and walked off towards his room.


	9. The Hunger

Author's Note: Guys. I'm sorry. But this fic is going to be closed. Or at least on hold for a while. I'm going through a tough time right now and, well, I just need to take a breather. I might come back and finish this, sometime.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! GOTCHA!!!! Man I'm such a jackass! Okay, no seriously, sorry it's taken me a while to update. I'll continue with the Lex thing. Glad to see the new villain has stumped you guys. Just wait till you see what he does to Peter and those close to him. (smiles evilly) I'm gonna try and fit in some more of Pete, Lana, and Chloe. So here is the next chapter and hope you like. 

Responding to Reviews: Once again, there will be **_NO _**licensed Spider-Man villains like the Green Goblin, or Doc Ock, etc. Also Peter will **_NOT_** wear his regular costume. He will stick with his wrestling outfit. Now, I'm still thinking whether I should kill Chloe or not. Thank you for hitting me with the bat. I feigned unconscience and got to miss work. If you guys have any questions or statements, tell me, and I'll respond to them the next time I write a chapter. And without further ado here is chapter something.

It was her mind that woke up first. All around her was blackness. She tried to remember where she was, what had happened. Her body ached in pain, but not as bad as it had been. She slowly started to gather information. She could tell she was lying on some kind of bed. She moved her legs slightly. She realized that she had yet to open her eyes, and with care, began to do so. The light was almost unbearable at first, causing her to retreat back to the darkness. But her curiosity kept her going and she once again began to open her eyes. The ceiling was the first thing that came into focus. She took her time moving her gaze down the ceiling to the wall to her left. There were various machines sitting next to her, with wires and tubes extending from them. She followed the tubing to see that the majority of them were connected to her body. Puzzled at first, she looked at herself to see she was in some kind of one-piece garment that sorta looked like pajamas. 

Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. She remembered everything. She remembered the softball game where she passed out on her way to home plate. She remembered the doctors informing her and her dad that she had some rare kind of cancer that she couldn't even remember the name of. She remembered trying to go to school like everything was normal. She remembered her boyfriend dumping her to go out with the cheerleading captain. She remembered her grades beginning to drop and her playing ability in softball suffer. She remembered being put on the bench. Then, she remembered him. A nice young man that caught as she fainted a second time in the hall. She recovered long enough to see his face, memorize his features, but she didn't know his name. She continued down memory lane as she recalled the young man bringing her to the hospital. She remembered the doctors informing her dad and her that she didn't have long to live. And then her world went black. 

She studied her surroundings. She looked for a calendar to find the date. No. Impossible. It couldn't be June 12. That would mean, she lived. She beat the cancer. Questions began to form in her mind, trying to reach a possible explanation for this miraculous recovery. But that was unimportant right now. What mattered was she was alive! And she felt great! In fact, she'd never felt better! She sat up in her bed, her mind racing at what had happened. The door suddenly flew open and a middle-aged man came rushing towards her, his eyes flowing with tears. 

"Oh my God!! You're awake!! Honey, you're alive!! You made it!!!." She wrapped his arms around her and she hugged back. She couldn't remember when she had been happier. Her dad released his hold after a few seconds then looked at her in the eyes. 

"You don't know how worried I was! I thought I was going to loose you, likelike.."

"Like mom?" She finished his sentence for him. He nodded, his cheeks were now soaked in tears.

"I'll tell the doctors and get you some clothes and then we'll get out of here. You can go back to school, see your friends!!" 

She smiled at the thought and he stood to leave. On his way up he grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. A flash of pain suddenly shot through her. He held her hand for only a moment but it was enough. She suddenly felt, if it was even possible, stronger. She felt as though his touch had revitalized her. The dad rushed to tell the doctors, too overjoyed to realize the weak and sick feeling in his stomach. 

The daughter continued to stare at the door. Unbeknown to her, a small burning desire laid in the pit of her soul. Not recognizable yet, it laid in waiting. It needed nourishment. It started to feel weak and drained. Her emotions kept her from feeling the slowly growing pain inside. Kept her from feeling what her body was slowly starting to demand. Kept her from feeling the hunger.

Lex lead Peter and Clark down a hallway. Clark knew where they were heading, or at least he thought he knew. They were heading towards Lex's living room where he usually hung out. And so far he was right. They were walking in that very direction. But then Lex stopped two doors before his living room. He opened the door and stepped in. He motioned for the two teens to follow and they did. Lex flipped on the lights.

"Here it is," he said with a smile. Peter was dumbstruck and Clark was smiling. Right now they were looking at every single Warrior Angel comic ever printed, carefully placed away in protective cases. 

"You looked like one of those guys who's into reading and science," Lex said with a smile. He could tell by the look on Peter's face that his guess had been correct. "And if you get tired of reading comics, the library is stuffed with books. I'm sure you'd find some interesting ones in there." 

Peter looked at Lex in surprise, and Lex returned the look with a shrug and a small smile. 

"Any time you want to come over Peter, feel free." 

"T-thanks Lex. I will."

Clark looked down at his watch and frowned. 

"Well, we've gotta get going. The farm chores won't get done by themselves. By Lex."

Lex smiled and watched the two young men leave for a moment then returned to his work. He entered his living room and went to his computer. 

"All right daddy dearest, let's see what you've been up to."

Clark got into the truck and turned it on. Peter opened the door and hopped into the passenger seat. Clark backed the truck out and Peter continued to stare at him with suspicion. Clark finally noticed Peter's accusing look and returned it with a puzzled one.

"What?"

"You did this didn't you?"

"Did what?"

"This. You set this all up. You talked to Lex and that's how he knew about the books and all."

Clark tried to hold back his smile and failed miserably.

"Well, maybe just a little." 

He smiled and continued driving.

"Hey Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"Anytime Peter."

The rest of the trip the truck was filled with silence, but it was no longer one of distance or despair. It was a silence of reassurance and understanding. Both teens smiled as they watched the trees go by on their way home. 

She had been working non-stop since she had opened this morning. It seemed that for every order she got out, five more needed to be done. 

"There are six billion people on the world, and they all decided to come to the Talon," She said to herself.

"Guess I shouldn't be complaining," she thought. "Business had been slow the past few weeks. She looked up at the sound of the doorbell ringing and smiled as a familiar and friendly blonde came walking in. 

"Hey Lana!" She sounded excited. Something big must've happened to perk her mood so high.

"Hey Chloe!" Lana replied as she picked up two trays each one covered in coffee cups, empty sugar packages, and other fun stuff.

"Here, let me help."

Chloe relieved Lana of one of the trays and followed her to the counter. 

"So what brings you here Chloe? Want something to drink?"  
"My usual, but that's not really why I'm here."

Lana looked at her. Chloe looked like she was going to explode with joy and excitement. She reached into her purse to get something as Lana got her drink. Chloe placed on the counter several photographs. Lana stared at them for a moment and then looked at Chloe in shock. 

"Chloe, where did you get these?"

"Peter Parker took them. Said he happened to be at the right place at the right time."

Lana stared at the pictures that showed a man dressed in a red and blue outfit rushing down to save a little girl from an oncoming car. 

"Isn't that the same guy that saved us from those jerks a while back?"

"Yep. And soon he's going to be all across the newspapers. This is great! I've been searching for a story like this for a long time."

"Yeah, who could forget the infamous Wall of Weird'?"

"Haha, very funny. But seriously, this could be my big break. I'll have to thank Peter."

"Speaking of our visiting friend, how is Peter?"

Chloe's joyous mood suddenly faded and turned into a very serious one as she told Lana about what Peter had revealed to her last night. They were both quiet for several seconds. Lana was the first to break the silence.

"Wow."

"Yeah, I know. Makes sense as to why he suddenly decided to visit some place he'd never been to before."

Trying to escape the gloom that had clouded them, Lana changed the subject.

"Well, he takes pretty good pictures."

"Yeah, that he does. And he just gave them to me to. Didn't ask for anything. Had them already developed and everything."

Lana smiled slightly.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing." Her smile grew a bit.

"No seriously, what?" 

"It's just thatlet me ask you something. What do you think of Peter?"

"What do I think of him? Well he's really smart, can be funny at times, he's cute" 

Lana lowered her head as she tried to conceal her ever-growing smile. Chloe was perplexed beyond imagining and her frustration on not understanding what Lana was saying was starting to show. 

"What!?"

Before Lana could answer, the front door swung open and Pete came rushing in.

"Chloe! Hey Chloe!"

"Hey Pete," the girls answered in unison. 

"Chloe, you know that article you wrote on one of the students dying from cancer?"

"Yeah?"

"She's been released this morning."

"What?!"

"Apparently some miraculous happening healed her and now it's like she was never sick at all."

Chloe was already heading out the door.

"Thanks Pete. Wow, two stories in one day."

She exited the Talon and headed for the hospital. 


	10. Foreshadowing

Author's Note: WARNING!!! WARNING!!! This is not a drill!!! Spiderbob is experiencing high levels of stress and rage. The following sentences have been censored with the symbol ! so the viewers will not be hurt by his wrath. After the censoring, Spiderbob will speak. Again, please note the warning and have a good day.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Okay, I feel a little better now. Incase you're all wondering the reason for the censoring of the multiple lines of cursing is because of the Chiefs perfect 9-0 record being decimated by the Bengals! THE BENGALS!!!! I mean, WTF!!!! And what really #$!!#@ me off was that we beat ourselves!!! We played like shit!!! ARGH!!!! 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And if I receive one review making fun of this or insulting this fact, JUST ONE, I swear I'll delete this entire story. And don't think I won't!!!! I'm dead serious!!! JUST ONE!!! God Almighty this makes me mad!!!!!! THE BENGALS!!!!!!! ARGH!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, now for the story. I'll curse in my own free time. Glad you liked the mysterious foe. I've already given hints to her powers, but a bigger one will be given in this chapter. Lex and his father will appear later on, as will Lana and Pete. This chapter is going to be short because of the mood I'm in. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: If you don't know by now that I don't own these characters or making money off of this story then I'll hit you in the head with this bat.

She smiled to herself as her gloved hands through the roses in her garden. She stopped and stared at the field of flowers before her. How long had it been? Several weeks now at least, and it was showing. The days at the hospital had diverted her attention away from her garden, the same field of blooming flowers that her mother gave to her as a birthday present to take care of. In fact, it was her mother that first taught her how to nurture it. Her favorite of the flowers were the roses. Its thorny stems forced her to touch them with caution and care but the beauty of the plants was worth it. It was her mother's favorite flower too.

She continued to pull the seemingly infinite number of weeds that infested her pride and joy. Too long had she been kept from tending to her garden. She did not know how much time had passed while she fixed her garden, nor did she care. She was caught up in the pure joy of her hobby. Finally, the weeds had been removed. She placed their remains in a trash bag and carried the bag off to the trashcans. 

She headed back to the garden, feeling a little weak and woozy. She ignored these feelings and returned to her work, though she did not call it that. She removed her gloves. She wanted to remember what it felt like to run her hands over her greatest possessions. She wanted to feel them again, to once again intertwine with their beauty. She placed her fingers gently on the bud of the roses, slowly moving from rose to rose. Captivated by the joy of being able to interact in her hobby once more, she failed to realize that the small burning pain in her stomach was slowly fading away. In fact, so was her weakness and wooziness. She did not notice that the pain was being replaced with and increasing level of wholeness and calm.

"Dinner is ready!" called her dad from the front porch. She diverted her eyes from her flowers and picked herself up. She began to clean herself off as she headed into the house to eat. 

She would not realize it for several more hours, and when she does she will not know the cause of it. It would remain to sadden her and puzzle her for some time. But as she left her garden to go eat, the roses that she had been touching, slowly started to wilt. With in a matter of seconds, they had almost completely decayed. The rotting remains of the flowers surrounded their brown and lifeless stems, never again to grow and bloom.

Alright, I want to know what you guys think the power is. Also, I will be taking a vote. Your votes only count if they're in your review for this chapter. I want to know who wants Chloe to live and who wants her to die. I also want to know who wants her to be with Peter and who wants them to remain only friends and nothing else. 

Thank you.


	11. The Bargain

Author's Note: First of all, I would like to apologize for my outburst in the last chapter. It was uncalled for and completely unacceptable. I was reminded today, from reading the review of Zoken, that winning and loosing doesn't matter, what matters is that you stick with your team. And he's right. I have been a Chief's fan all my life. I've watched them fail, I've watched them succeed. I've watched them get killed, and I've watched them come back from behind to win. I've watched them get beaten in the playoffs of '97 by the Denver Broncos, ending what seemed to be a straight road to the Super Bowl. It's just, good fortune has not been with the Chiefs since Super Bowl IV, so I get furious when the Chiefs blow an easy win and hinder what graces we have received. Win or lose, the Chiefs will always be my number one team. Always, and Zoken, I thank for the reminder. 

Now, onto the story. So far, I have received mixed votes on the questions I posted last chapter. I would like to receive more votes and again, I'll only count them if they're in the review for the last chapter. Also, your guys' guesses on the villainess' powers were good, but only partly correct. You are right that she takes the life force of things she touches (though she's unaware of it) and in return, kills whatever it is she touched. HOWEVER, you guys have missed the subtle hints on the negative effect of her power, an effect that will soon force this sweet young girl to hurt those she loves and those close to Peter. DUN DUN DUN DUN!!!!!

Okay, this chapter will also be short, because too much stuff is going on right now for me to spend too much time on it. And here it is. This story takes place on Sunday, June the 13.

He sat at his desk, busily working on the various projects of Luthor Corp. He'd been sitting there the majority of the day, but his thoughts tended to wander back to his new test subject. His Intel told him that the girl was doing remarkably well, so far anyway. He'd keep an eye on her. He wanted to see how his little experiment developed. His concentration was suddenly interrupted by a buzz from the intercom.

"Mr. Luthor, there is a Miss Sullivan to see you."

"Let her in," he said. He couldn't help but smile. Miss Sullivan had proved to be a valuable resource, when given a little push. He exited his chair as the beautiful young blonde opened the doors. His smile grew.

"Hello Miss Sullivan. This is a most unexpected surprise."

She apparently was not sharing his joy.

"I trust this little interruption means you've discovered something about our favorite friend, Clark Kent?" 

She approached his desk and stared coldly at him.

"It's about Clark, but I don't have any information."

"Oh, that is a little disappointing. I hope your dad won't be as disappointed when he suddenly finds himself, unemployed."

She tried her best to suppress the anger that was quickly rising. 

"I've come to make a deal."

Lionel remained silent, interested in what she had to say. Chloe to the silence as him saying continue.

"I want to switch projects."

"Switch projects? What do you mean Miss Sullivan? Get to the point. I'm a very busy man."

She hated him. His arrogance, his over confidence, all of it infuriated her to no end. She pulled a small vanilla envelope out of her purse and tossed it on his desk. He looked at her for a moment, and when she did nothing, he reached for the envelope and opened it. What was in it surprised him.

"What is this exactly?"

"These are photographers of Spider-Man."

"Spider-Man? You mean your rescuer at the Talon?"

She nodded. 

"And why on earth would I want to investigate him instead of Clark?"

He continued studying the photos before him. They showed the costumed vigilante leaping off a building a saving a little girl from being hit by a car. Again, his thoughts were interrupted as another envelope was thrown onto the table. He opened it and was quite shocked at what he saw. Spider-Man was stopping a robbery at the Smallville bank. The photos (which he thought were amazingly good) portrayed the hero dodging bullets in mid air. It showed him binding the thieves with what looked like webbing and him clinging to walls. 

"Here's the deal. You let me drop my investigation on Clark, and I dig up as much info as I can on this guy."

Lionel continued to stare at the photos.

"When was this?" He asked, pointing to the pictures of the bank heist.

"This morning." She went silent after that and allowed him to study the photos some more.

"And let me guess, not only do you get to investigate and write the major stories you've waited for so long, but you keep your friend Clark out of danger. You seem to gain a lot from this, Miss Sullivan."

She remained silent. What he said was true and she hoped that it didn't hurt her plea. She waited impatiently for his reply. 

"Well?"

Lionel was looking at one photo in particular. Spider-Man was dodging the fire from a shotgun while delivering a punch to the bearer of the gun. 

"Alright Miss Sullivan, you have a deal."

She couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

"You get me more on this, this Spider-Man' and I'll end your obligation to investigate Clark Kent, for now." 

He placed the photos back into the envelopes and then placed them in his suitcase. Chloe took that as her cue to leave. She headed for the door, thankful that her little ploy worked. Before she could leave, he stopped her.

"Just one question before you go, Miss Sullivan."

She turned and faced him.

"Who took the photos."

Without even thinking the answer came out of her.

"Peter Parker."


	12. Set Up

Author's Note: Holy molly! Page two!! My story is on page two!! What the hell is wrong with me!?!? How could I let this happen?!? HOW!?!?!??!?!  
  
*clears throat*  
  
Anyway, I'm terribly sorry that it's taken me so long to update this. Lot's of stuff have been going on in my life and I've just been busy. So, without further ado, I, spiderbob, give to you, my loyal readers, the next chapter. ENJOY!!  
  
The Voting Results: Okay, you've waited forever. You've all voted, all expressed your opinions. I, spiderbob, asked you all if you thought Chloe and Peter should be a couple an if Chloe should die. Well now, the time has come. The polls are closed. The votes tallied. And the result is.um.drumroll please.  
  
- drum roll -  
  
The envelope please.  
  
(A lady in a long black dress walks up and hands Sbob the envelope.) Thank you. Uh...having trouble opening it. Okay, I hold in my hand, the results, and it reads..  
  
looks at it puzzled and reads it hesitantly -  
  
"Haha, your votes don't count. This is my story and I can do whatever I please. You will all just have to wait and see what I decided to do. HAHA."  
  
pauses for a second then looks off stage -  
  
okay, who was playing solitaire on the voting computer!? Come on!!  
  
Sorry, folks, but it looks like this jackass Sbob has intervened. Looks like you'll just have to wait and see. Toodles.  
  
Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing. Not even the clothes I'm wearing, which I stole from a homeless guy. Okay, too much info. On to the chapter.  
  
"Can I go?" Peter asked anxiously. His whole body was full of excitement, anticipation, and worry. He was wearing a completely white t- shirt and a pair of blue jeans, both were covered in sweat from the chores and constant basketball games he'd been doing. He was impatiently sitting in a wooden chair by the kitchen table, looking nervously at the people in front of him. They were Mr. and Mrs. Kent, two of the kindest people he'd ever known. They had agreed to house Peter for a while, allowing him to cope with his uncle's death. Behind Peter stood Clark, who was almost as nervous as Peter was. Before the two teens a dilemma was unfolding.  
Jonathan Kent was holding in his had a letter of invitation that had been sent to their house. The fact that it was for a luxurious event in Metropolis and sent by Mr. Luthor was shocking enough, but it paled in comparison to who it was for, Peter.  
Martha had been looking at Jonathan hesitantly. She knew of his strong dislike for the Luthors and knew that it was that same dislike that was causing the problem before them. The letter requested that only Peter go, mentioning something of a 'surprise' in store for him. Martha had grown to accept and trust Lex. He was a dear friend to Clark, despite the obstacles their friendship had been through. Though reluctant, she was okay with it.  
Jonathan on the other hand, kept gazing at the letter intently as if he were trying to burn a hole through it. He had not told Peter about his disliking for the Luthors, nor the cause of his mistrust. He tried to approach the situation reasonably, but his hatred was getting the better of him. He tried to remind himself that Lex was Clark's friend, that he had been there for Clark and it looked like he was trying to strike a friendship with Peter too. But the other part of his brain reminded him of all the things Lex had done. The constant investigations on Clark, the constant prying and hidden agendas. It was this part of his brain that was winning the battle.  
Peter realized that he was loosing his case and desperately tried to earn their approval.  
"It's nothing really fancy, just a small party. And I've never been to Metropolis and Lex says that it will on last till-"  
"I know what it says, Peter," Jonathan interjected, a little irritated. His response came out harsh and he instantly regretted saying it, but made no movement to apologize. His gaze was locked on the letter and he repeatedly read it over and over again.  
Not wanting to let an opportunity like this escape, Peter pressed on.  
  
"I've done all my chores, and extra ones. And I don't have school, even though I wouldn't normally have school since it's Saturday. I could get all my chores done in advance, get them done early so I could have the evening fr-"  
"Peter." Jonathan's interjection came in sternly, instantly silencing the youth.  
"First of all, we've told you before that you are not obliged to do chores. You're a guest here, not a servant."  
Peter opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he realized Jonathan wasn't finished.  
"And secondly..you can go."  
Clark's facial expression went from a surprised look to an ever growing smile. This decision had surprised even him. Peter, however, was taking it less calmly, and started literally jumping up and down with joy. Martha kissed Jonathan on the cheek and smiled at him.  
"Thanks, honey."  
Jonathan merely nodded in response. Peter stopped his parading and began babbling uncontrollably.  
"Let's see. I milked the cows, stacked the hay, cleaned the barn, mowed the lawn. I gotta shower, brush my teeth, comb my hair, find some half way decent clothing."  
His head popped up and looked at Clark who smiled and said, "You can borrow my tux."  
Peter's grin grew steadily. He started walking up towards his room to get ready, constantly rambling on about what he had to do to get ready as he did.  
Clark looked away from the fading teenager and back towards his father.  
"Thanks, dad. I know you have issues with the Luthors and all."  
"Yeah," Jonathan merely nodded, still deep in thought over the decision he just made. He looked away from the letter and up at Clark. "You'll provide transportation I assume."  
It was Clark's turn to nod, and after a second he raced up to his room to search for his tux.  
  
"Wow." It was all Chloe could say. She had nearly spilt her Cappuccino on the paper she was reading.  
"Yeah, I know. Wonder what the surprise is."  
"You'll take lots of pictures for me won't you?"  
"Most definitely."  
Chloe gave him a smile of appreciation. Peter suddenly found himself lost in that smile. He broke his gaze away from her at the sound of the door to the Talon opening. A couple walked in and towards the counter, ordering whatever it was they wanted to eat. Peter paid them no heed and turned his gaze back to Chloe. She was wearing a green sleeveless shirt that revealed her shoulders and about a centimeter of skin above her blue jeans. Her blond hair streamed down her hand and levitated above her shoulders. Her smile captivated Peter's attention and for a moment the two did nothing but stay locked in gaze. Chloe then let out a somewhat embarrassed smile and lowered her head, breaking the locked stare. Peter also smiled and then stood out of the chair he was sitting in.  
"So.I'll see you later?"  
Chloe looked up at Peter, her smiling broadening.  
"Yeah, later."  
Peter gave off one last smile and then bolted out the door.  
  
The rest of the afternoon had been a series of unorganized events, all aimed towards getting Peter ready. His eagerness to learn the surprise was growing by the minute, and the Kents couldn't help but smile. It seemed to them that Lex was just what the doctor ordered, even Jonathan silently admitted it. Peter seemed to be filled with a new sense of life, his gloom and troubles forgotten. Clark's tux was a little loose on Peter, but nothing too noticeable.  
The ride to Metropolis had been one of great conversation. Peter and Clark trailed from conversations on sports, Smallville events, and eventually, who the two of them were taking to the end of the year dance. Peter persisted that he wasn't going, and Clark kept his intentions for the upcoming night secret. Clark parked the red truck a little ways away from the building the letter had instructed them to go to. Peter exited the passenger's seat, withdrew his backpack from the back of the truck, and waved Clark goodbye as he walked towards the big event.  
About an hour later Clark returned home. He slowly parked and exited the car and went back into his house. As he did, Martha approached Clark.  
"Clark, Lex was on the phone. He wants you to call him back."  
Clark casually walked over to the portable phone and dialed Lex's number.  
"Lex?"  
  
The figure in black watched the young man exit the red truck. He had his backpack hanging over his shoulders and his camera hung around his neck. He used his binoculars to zoom in closer, examining every inch of the youth.  
"Sir, subject is arriving on schedule. Estimated time of arrival is two minutes."  
"Good work," a voice replied. It had a sense of authority in it. "Is your man ready to go?"  
The figure in black looked behind him and stared at the man standing behind him. He replied with a nod and continued to eye the teenager from a far. Despite the fact that they were twenty stories high, he was still able to keep a lock on the boy.  
"All he needs is the word 'go'."  
"Excellent. Stay on line and await my orders."  
There was a click on the other line, signaling that the other party had hung up. The figure in black turned to his comrade and waited.  
  
Peter's jaw nearly hit the floor. The letter the Kents had received did not do the place justice. All attendants at the party were luxuriously dressed it fine suits or dresses, depending on their gender. They were lightly chatting, laughing, and nibbling on the various food items the servants were passing around. Peter started to wonder if he was at the right place. He cautiously walked further into the room. An expensive glass chandelier hung form the ceiling. Two rows of stairs curved up to the top floor, their railings made of marble. The tile, obviously, had had a lot of money invested in it alone. Its surface was smooth and spotless. The walls were covered in light blue wallpaper that bordered on actually being white. Tables were lined on both sides of the room, each one offering its own unique and very appealing food dishes. Needless to say, Peter was speechless. Yet, he couldn't help get the feeling that he was at the wrong place, and the strange looks the other attendants were giving him only strengthened this notion.  
Peter suddenly noticed that a tall man, dressed in a pure black suit and pants was walking towards him. He had dark brown hair that waved down to his shoulders and the bottom part of his face was covered in a full blown beard. He was wearing a huge smile of warmth and friendliness, yet it was that same smile that gave Peter an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. The man was now standing about a foot away from him. He extended his hand out towards Peter.  
"Mr. Parker, I assume."  
Peter took his had, hesitantly.  
"Yes, that's me."  
"Welcome, Mr. Parker. I do hope you enjoy yourself this fine evening in Metropolis."  
Peter paused and then added, "I'm sorry, but um, I don't believe I got your name."  
"Oh, how thoughtless of me," the man replied, his friendliness was almost too polite and good natured to be true. "My name is Lionel...  
  
...Luthor?" Clark asked. "Lex, you called?"  
"Yeah, just thought I'd check up on you. Hadn't seen you in a while and just wanted to know how you were doing. You and Peter, that is."  
"Peter?" Clark asked, a little puzzled. "Isn't he with you?"  
"With me? No, of course not. Not unless he sneaked into the mansion unnoticed."  
"The mansion? I thought...that is...aren't you at some big Luthor event in Metropolis?"  
"Metropolis? No. Why?"  
Clark went silent, his mind racing. Lex was at home. Then who...  
"Lex, you're sure you didn't send Peter a letter inviting him to a Luthor event in Metropolis?"  
"Yeah, but now that you mentioned it, I ought to. He hasn't seen Metropolis has he. Might be a way to cheer him u-"  
"Lex, I gotta go."  
And before Lex could question the matter further, Clark had already hung up and was racing with all his speed towards Metropolis.  
  
Oooooo. Parker's in trouble now. You like? Then please review. You don't like. Then review anyway. Next chapter coming soon. 


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